Lizards

[kreacher]

Originally Posted by Geomyda

With a large Monitor in your collection I strongly advise that you get his book.
For many it is considered a seminal work and provides really excellent background on not just their biology, but the husbandry of these giant lizards.
As with many species of Reptile, recent work by Daniel and others has completely changed the methods of husbandry adopted by most Zoo's throughout the world. For most, the problem was a very common. They are or were overfed, and given very poor enrichment, in their captive environment.

Ooh sounds ace i'll get and order myself one

[Geomyda]

Originally Posted by kreacher

Ooh sounds ace i'll get and order myself one

Took a while to sort out how to scan and upload, and sorry for poor quality, but these pic's are of my Old Salvator. It breaks my heart to say that despite years of captivity, I probably killed him with too much TLC.
Suggest aside the book which I consider a must have, if you keep or are intending to keep these giant lizards, you should also visit ZSL and see what Dr Ian Stephen, and his colleagues are doing with their own Monitor husbandry! I can also say that Rotterdam Zoo, one of the best in Europe for collections of these beasts are also changing very significantly how these animals are tended and looked after:

[ziggy's owner]

What are you feeding him?

[kreacher]

Originally Posted by Geomyda

Took a while to sort out how to scan and upload, and sorry for poor quality, but these pic's are of my Old Salvator. It breaks my heart to say that despite years of captivity, I probably killed him with too much TLC.
Suggest aside the book which I consider a must have, if you keep or are intending to keep these giant lizards, you should also visit ZSL and see what Dr Ian Stephen, and his colleagues are doing with their own Monitor husbandry! I can also say that Rotterdam Zoo, one of the best in Europe for collections of these beasts are also changing very significantly how these animals are tended and looked after:

Wow he's awesome!!
Thanks for all your advise I'll check it out

[Geomyda]

Originally Posted by ziggy's owner

What are you feeding him?

On this occasion it was Mackeral. He would have a variety of Fish, Rodent, and his favourite was a bucket full of live shore crabs or Crayfish. His diet was very Catholic.
In one meal he would each a 2Kg rabbit, and then I would leave him to fast for six or seven weeks. Strangely, this diet regime is what is recommended, but today when I look back, I rarely left him long enough between meals because, follishly I wanted to try and retain his generally tame demeanour. He frequently, went out on school visits and was very popular in the talks I gave. He generally appeared at the end of each talk as the Star attraction.
I had him for just short of Eleven years in total.

[ziggy's owner]

Oh wow, my lizards do fun days with me, the skink is a big hit

[Geomyda]

Originally Posted by ziggy's owner

Oh wow, my lizards do fun days with me, the skink is a big hit

Blue Tongue skinks are fantastic to get young people and nervous adults to accept as a Reptile experience their attitude, though fiesty at times is generally very reasy to read and when they present that great big blue tongue it gives them a real wow factor.
Great lizard, and with care reasonably easy to breed.
Not one that particularly like being handled is the Frilled Dragon, which like the bearded Dragon is a natural poser for the Camera:

[ziggy's owner]

That's great, yet my skink is great friendly loving will take food out your hand, comes and sees what I'm doing, not shy at all

[ziggy's owner]

My blue Tongue


Cuddling torts


Spot the beardie

[skildpadde]

I love this thread!
Now he is not as grand as the monitors, but here is my son's bearded dragon, Rico. We got him 6 weeks ago, when he was 5-6 weeks old. The pictures are from back then. He has since trippled in size and is eating me out of house and home in crickets!